Next big new technology? Follow the toys..."Toy Theory"

Thinking about this today, one of my favorite electronics teachers (RIP) when I was in college told us to see what would be tomorrow's big technology all we had to do was look at today's children's toys.

This was in the late '80s, he used the example of the transistor, how it started in children's dolls and simple electronic gizmos by the 50's, made it's mark in cheap transistor radios of the '60s, and eventually became the powerhouse and driving force of the current microprocessor and computer age.

I would confirm this theory is also true considering LEDs, as they started out as mere indicators and lights in childrens toys in the '60's and those futuristic digital watches of the '70s and now are part of our HD lifestyles in everything from big screen tvs to our cell phones and IPads, and that's not even scratching the surface how they are used in industrial applications.

So if there is any truth to this "Toy Theory", what is tomorrow's next big technology based on the toys of today?

Well, we're starting to see robotics pop up in things like Legos, and I think Robotics are one of the big coming trends. Robot dogs and cats are popping up from time to time, and there's that robosapien thing.

I think it's more accurate to say that the first iteration of a new technology is kind of rubbish, and that about ten years later, it's fully integrated into society... look at the Apple Newton -> iPhone progression, for instance. I think Google Glass is that "kind of rubbish" version of augmented reality; what it will be in ten years...?

Biotech and prosthetics. For years comic books, movies, kids toys, etc. have shown enhancing the human body with mechanical or technological upgrades. Mechanical arms that function as well or better than natural ones, upgraded organs, limbs, exosuits, etc. I can see this market exploding and becoming huge, especially given the number of wounded and maimed soldiers coming back from our decade long (and still continuing) war.

Hopefully it won't be a toy that creates more laziness and video game playing, and therefore more laziness and video game playing technology.

I think it would be fun to make a GPS game. Kind of hide and seek in the neighborhood with small handheld crash proof monitor/walkie talkie type devices. Kids would have to draw and program in the "map" of their neighborhood (playzone) with a pc with friends houses, trees, whatever, then download to the device.

Hopefully it won't be a toy that creates more laziness and video game playing, and therefore more laziness and video game playing technology.

I think it would be fun to make a GPS game. Kind of hide and seek in the neighborhood with small handheld crash proof monitor/walkie talkie type devices. Kids would have to draw and program in the "map" of their neighborhood (playzone) with a pc with friends houses, trees, whatever, then download to the device.

I'm way too lazy to see if it exists or make it.

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Not the same, but there are companies combining fitness and video games.

Goji Play (for instance) has an iPad app and some handheld controllers, you then use the tredmill or exercise bike to control your movement and the controllers for other in-game actions.

My insight was that the next big thing in Industry and Technology was a material called Grapheme that they were making crazy string batteries and processors out of. I dont think they out that in toys though. I may be wrong on the title but I remember hearing about it on NPR a long time ago.

It certainly has some awesome properties, plus if you roll it up you have your carbon nanotubes (granted, that's not how they produce those ). The issue with this kind of tech is generally being near impossible to mass produce, very linear processes instead of mass parallels.